PANAMA CITY — The first wave of relief is on its way following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the form of $15.7 million along the Panhandle, officials announced Thursday.

Projects to be funded in immediate Bay County areas include Apalachicola Bay oyster restoration, elimination of light pollution on sea turtle nesting beaches and enhanced assessment for recovery of Gulf of Mexico fisheries.

“This is a big step in helping industries that have been particularly hard hit by the oil spill and the economy,” said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida. “Hopefully we can do a lot more in the next few years.”

Over the next five years, $356 million will go toward state and federal projects in Florida that are developed by the agencies, according to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).

The announcement represents the initial obligation of funds available to support 22 projects in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas from the first payments received by the Gulf Fund.

“This is the first release,” said Doc Kokal, director of community relations with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) Commission. “There will be others this year.”

Kokal said within the next few months the next round of funds will start and decisions on those projects will be decided during the summer.

Once the U.S. Department of Justice releases the funds to the NFWF they will be transferred to the group’s recipients and then “partners” who will perform the work, Kokal said.

The University of Florida and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will receive about $4.19 million over five years for the Apalachicola Bay Oyster Restoration project. The FWC will receive about $1.5 million for an elimination of light pollution on sea turtle nesting beaches project along Walton, Gulf and Franklin counties. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be receiving $3 million for an enhanced assessment for recovery of Gulf of Mexico fisheries.

In early 2013, a U.S. District Court approved two plea agreements resolving certain criminal charges against BP and Transocean related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Provisions within the pleas direct a total of $2.544 billion to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation over a five-year period.